The Scarlet King (13 page)

During the breaking of the fast on the fifth
day Betty informed Heather that she had heard Edna in her sleep.
Heather asked, "Is she well?"

Betty replied with her mouth full of food,
"She okay. Jeremy sick. Hopes we get there soon."

It was two more days before Larby finally
felt the change in the waves and announced, "The island is ahead
and a bit to port.”

A slight correction was made in their course
and it was late afternoon when the lookout finally spotted the
island. He called down from the lookout, "Smoke ahead and slightly
to port."

On the island Jason had organized a watch on
the highest hill, which was cleared of trees to improve visibility.
During daylight hours someone manned the hill watching for Larby
and keeping a small smoky fire burning. Edna was completing her
watch, having stared at the blank ocean for the past six hours.
With nothing to do but feed an occasional stick to the fire, her
mind kept returning to Jeremy and his illness. The swelling from
his broken tooth had increased so much that he could no longer
swallow any food. To breathe he had to sit forward, and sleep was
getting almost impossible. He suffered greatly and she was able to
do little to provide him comfort. With her mind in a turmoil, she
heard Betty not and could not tell help was so close.

The sound of someone approaching brought her
back to the present and she added another stick of green wood to
the fire. Listening to the steps she figured it was Jason arriving,
for even though he was now much smaller his footsteps remained
heavy. When Jason emerged into the clearing he greeted Edna by
asking, "Anything?"

Edna replied, "The sea remains empty." She
then asked, "Could I speak to you about a matter?"

Jason nodded in the affirmative and did a
quick scan of the sea before turning his attention back to Edna.
She spoke not for some time before quietly asking, "What if help
arrives not in time for Jeremy?"

Jason said, "Your Jeremy is strong; I think
he will survive. I have found a few herbs which should help but I
am a healer not."

Again Edna was quiet before continuing,
"Other than the two little ones who are servants, I am the only
woman in the group. Without Jeremy how would I cope with so many
men?"

It was now Jason's turn for quiet reflection.
He said not and Edna accepted his quietness, willing to just allow
the problem the thoughts that it deserved. Soon they were talking
about other matters involved in their rescue but the discussion
soon returned to Jeremy. Jason finally said, "I know not what will
be, but I promise you my complete loyalty and pledge to protect you
at all cost."

Tears filled Edna's eyes and she stood and
turned to depart down the trail. Something glinted in her eyes as
she moved and she rubbed the tears from them, assuming it was the
tears. As she glanced back again a glint was visible in the far
distance to the north. She said not but simply stared until she was
sure. Jason followed her look but had not the eyes of a hunter and
saw nothing. Edna ordered, "Add more wood and build the fire, they
are coming."

Jason did as he was told. The smoke
increased, but even with Edna pointing he saw not a ship. The
increased smoke was noted by others of their group and several made
their way to the lookout. Soon all could see the sail in the
distance. When finally smoke from the ship was seen, acknowledging
their signal, a cheer went up. Edna raced down the hill to share
the news with Jeremy.

She found Jeremy sitting in his makeshift
chair, leaning forward and letting the drool drip from his swollen
mouth into a simple pot they had made. His eyes lit up only a
little seeing Edna, for the pain had dulled his senses to
everything but the throbbing in his jaw. His misery caused Edna to
rein in her excitement. The pain was so evident in Jeremy's eyes
she asked not how he was feeling, but simply said, "They are
coming."

Jeremy replied in speech garbled as if his
mouth was full of mud, "Who's coming?"

Edna sat in silence for a moment trying to
let Spirits of the Forest into her mind before replying, "I sense
Betty is near. She would travel not without Heather and with
Heather should be Daniel."

Jeremy nodded his head and mumbled something
unintelligible. Only on the third attempt was Edna able to make
out, "About time Daniel showed up. Maybe he could make himself
useful and do something about this toothache."

Darkness was approaching as the ship came
upon the lee side of the island, and those of Jason's party
standing on the beach waved fiercely at them. Captain Cook trusted
the anchorage not, but was willing to sail close enough to allow a
boat to be launched; for Betty was insisting that Daniel needed to
go help Jeremy. By the time Larby guided the boat safely to shore
it was the glow of the campfires which provided most of their
light. Captain Cook had already moved the ship offshore to the
safety of deeper water.

Daniel was helped from the boat and willing
hands helped drag the boat high on the shore for safety from the
rising tide. Everyone was talking at once except Edna, who stood
somewhat behind the rest, but Daniel could sense her presence. He
looked up at her in the light of the campfires and she waved for
him to follow. Carrying his pouch of surgical instruments and
medicines, he followed her up the steep hill trail to the caves.
They entered the shallow cave and Daniel found Jeremy sitting as
before, drooling. Jeremy lifted his eyes only a little on seeing
his old friend and mumbled, "About time."

Edna told him that the swelling had begun
after Jeremy had broken this tooth trying to crack a nut. Daniel
had the torches brought closer to Jeremy and gently felt of his
face and neck. Both sides were swollen but it was obviously the
right side causing the major problem. Jeremy's breathing was
labored because the swelling was forcing his tongue back into his
throat. Jeremy groaned repeatedly despite Daniel's efforts to be
ever so gentle in feeling the swollen tissue, looking for the area
where the purulence was most obvious. He said to Jeremy, "Well, my
old friend, it looks like you have a bit of a problem and I'm going
to have to drain this infection. It's going to hurt because I can't
give you any ether."

Jeremy mumbled in reply, "Just get it
done."

Daniel stepped out into the darkness and took
a few deep breaths before telling those outside to heat some water
and bring more torches. He would need an assistant but wanted Edna
to be spared the unpleasantness he expected. Edna left Jeremy’s
side and asked Daniel, "He will be all right, won't he?"

Daniel gently squeezed her shoulder and said,
"He has what my grandfather described as Angina of Ludwig. If I can
drain the infection he will recover, but there will be much pain."
He then added, "And much bleeding and stench, I am afraid."

Edna asked, "When will you drain this
infection?"

"Now, for his breathing is greatly
restricted."

Edna responded with a bit of trepidation, "I
would help."

Daniel again squeezed her shoulder saying, "I
would you help with the preparation and the care afterwards but
another should help with the surgery. For now you should stay at
his side."

Larby spoke up, saying simply, "It is my turn
to help."

Daniel glanced at Larby and nodded in
agreement, knowing that Larby was tough enough to withstand what he
expected to see. When the torches were gathered and the water
heated, Daniel began preparing his instruments by first soaking
them in some of the concentrated Sacred Water he had brought. His
cloth strips were also soaked in the concentrated water. He checked
again the sharpness of his obsidian scalpel, and when he was
finally ready, asked of Jeremy, "Well, my friend, are you
ready?"

Jeremy had no more nodded his head in the
affirmative when Daniel used the scalpel to slice through his neck
skin down to the under surface of the jawbone on the right side.
Jeremy tried not to scream but the pain was so intense that he was
only partially successful. Daniel ignored the bleeding he had
caused, and after setting the scalpel down, told Jeremy to take a
deep breath. As Jeremy struggled to do as he was told, Larby
grabbed firmly of his head and shoulders. Daniel reached into the
incision he had made with his finger and began probing the under
surface of the jawbone until he reached the purulence collected. He
ignored the screams that came forth from Jeremy, who had broken out
in a most profuse cold sweat.

When the abscess began to drain, the air was
filled with a foul stench. This caused Larby to relax his grip on
Jeremy, who started to pull away from Daniel's finger. Daniel spoke
not but simply looked at Larby to help him regain his
concentration. He then continued using his finger to expel the pus
which had built up between the broken tooth and Jeremy's tongue.
Jeremy was no longer screaming in pain but had slipped into a state
of blankness. For what seemed an eternity to Jeremy was but a few
moments, and it ended with Daniel packing the wound with strips of
cloth soaked in the Sacred Water. The packing controlled most of
the bleeding.

Daniel stretched and looking at Larby asked,
"Are you doing okay?"

Larby spoke not but simply nodded his head.
But what he really wanted to do was escape the stench, the
screaming, and the bleeding, and run freely to the sea to cleanse
himself.

A look of fear crossed Jeremy's face as
Daniel again picked up his obsidian scalpel. Daniel said only,
"This one will not be so bad."

Daniel nodded to Larby, who tightened his
grip on Jeremy's head and shoulders. Daniel had Larby extend
Jeremy's head back more and then made an incision underneath the
forward chin. The pain of the incision caused a small muffled
scream from Jeremy, but when Daniel inserted his finger to probe
for the pus, Jeremy could control the screaming no more. Despite
his illness, it was all Larby could do to hold his head still. It
was a smaller collection of pus but enough to again fill the air
with a most putrid stench. Larby found himself holding his breath
trying not to breathe to avoid the smell. When his grip again began
to relax, Daniel spoke up, saying, "Breathe and hold his head."

Larby was sweating as badly as Jeremy at this
point and it was all he could do to control his urge to run to the
sea. When Daniel had finished using his finger to express all of
the pus, he again packed the wound with strips of cloth soaked in
the Sacred Water. Only then did he say to Jeremy, "Well, my friend,
hopefully you can now heal."

He began cleaning up his medical kit and told
Larby, "I think you deserve some fresh air. Have Edna come in and
care for Jeremy."

As Larby was moving out of the cave, he
turned and asked, "Was it as bad with my leg?"

Daniel paused and looked up at Larby before
responding, "Similar, but the smell was maybe a little less putrid
than this." He added, "You were also so ill that you could struggle
not."

When Edna entered the cave, she too was
greeted by the overwhelming stench and could not control the gasp
that escaped her lips. Jeremy looked up at her and mumbled a barely
audible, "Our healer says he's done torturing me now. Not sure I
like this new perfume."

Edna said not but simply stood behind Jeremy
and rubbed his shoulders. Daniel finished gathering up all the
strips of cloth he had used to soak up the pus and said, "I will
burn these and the stench should dissipate quickly. I'll check back
in a bit."

When Daniel had left, Edna spoke softly to
Jeremy, "I would be with you even with your new perfume."

Jeremy reached up and squeezed Edna's hand
that was on his shoulder but said not. Edna said, "I thank the God
of the Sacred Water for Daniel's arrival but his surgery must have
been terrible."

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders and said only,
"Daniel does what he must do. I would prefer not to be his patient,
but it is as the God of the Sacred Water has willed."

Edna commented, "Your speech is better.
Hopefully, getting rid of that putrid stuff will make you feel
better."

"The pressure is less intense, but the pain
when swallowing persists."

Daniel poked his head into the cave and
asked, "You doing okay?"

Jeremy replied, "I better be or you'll cut me
again."

Daniel said, "If I need to I will. You need
to start drinking some water."

"It still hurts to swallow."

Daniel replied, "I want you to drink even if
it does hurt. They are making you some broth with some of the
healing herbs that Jason has found."

Jeremy said, "I think a glass of ale would be
better for me."

Daniel was quiet for minute before replying,
"You drink the broth and I'll see what I can do about the ale."

Jeremy raised his head up and said only,
"Really?"

Daniel replied, "I think there are a few
small kegs aboard the ship. Assuming they have not spoiled, it
would be a good use of the ale."

"Been a long time since I've had a good glass
of ale. I'll drink your broth."

Morning came and Daniel checked on Jeremy and
Edna. Jeremy was obviously breathing easier and no longer drooling.
Daniel said, "I will watch while you prepare for the day and break
the fast. Bring back some more of the broth for Jeremy."

As Daniel was examining Jeremy, his friend
continued to complain about the probing, asking, "Do you have to
push so hard?"

Daniel answered not and instead had Jeremy
open his mouth. When he put pressure on the broken tooth Jeremy
barely contained his scream. Jeremy again asked, "Did you really
have to do that? I could've told you it hurt."

Daniel said simply, "We must pull that tooth
for you to heal."

Jeremy could not control the look of fear
that appeared on his face as he replied, "I'm not sure I like this
idea. How about we just try using the ale instead?"